abowman@ccredc.com

Aaron Bowman is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, decorated Naval Aviator, and civic leader whose career spans military service, nonprofit leadership, and public office. A 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Bowman served 28 years in the U.S. Navy, flying the A-7E Corsair and F/A-18 Hornet. He also served as an instructor in both aircraft, accumulating more than 2,300 flight hours and over 300 carrier landings aboard eight aircraft carriers.

In addition to his operational flying career, Bowman held senior leadership roles in advanced weapons and radar development, serving as both chief engineer and program manager for multiple defense programs. His naval career culminated with his appointment as Commanding Officer of Naval Station Mayport, a position he held from 2007 to 2010.

After retiring from active duty, Bowman continued his service to the Jacksonville, Florida community. He served as Senior Vice President for JAXUSA partnership and led economic development efforts across seven Northeast Florida counties, directing strategy and execution for business relocation, expansion, and retention in targeted industries including financial services, transportation and logistics, advanced manufacturing, and health and life sciences. He also served as Executive Director of the United Service Organizations (USO) of Florida, overseeing statewide operations and fundraising while managing seven fixed USO centers in key location such as Jacksonville, Pensacola, Orlando, and Tampa.

Bowman served eight years on the Jacksonville City Council, representing more than 75,000 residents in District 3, and was elected Council President from 2018 to 2019. He holds a Department of Defense Level III Program Management certification and remains a strong advocate for military families and veterans.

He and his wife Deborah have one son, Blaise, a University of Florida graduate and software engineer, and two rescue dogs, Beau and Layla.

Sarah Tindall, COO, has managed Investor Relations and External Affairs for the CCREDC since 2015, successfully doubling the private investment in the organization by engaging local companies in the organization’s mission to bring jobs and investment to the region.

She moved to Corpus Christi in 2005 from her hometown of New Orleans and has worked at the Corpus Christi Caller Times, American Heart Association, and as a development consultant for many local non-profits. She graduated from the University of Dallas with a BA in English and Journalism and has two grown sons with her husband Brad.

Sarah is an active volunteer across the Coastal Bend; she currently serves as Chair of the Incarnate Word Academy board of directors and as a board member for the Del Mar College Foundation, USS Lexington Museum, and the My Town Our Future campaign.

Robert Kelley is CCREDC’s Vice President of Marketing & Attraction for the organization, managing the organization’s programming to secure new capital investment and jobs for the region.

Robert grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, graduating from Richard King high school in 1988. He attended college at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and graduated in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education. He began his professional career working for a private corporation in Houston managing corporate recognition and incentive programs for Fortune 500 clients, after which he moved back home to Corpus Christi where he spent 15 years in business development for Reliant Energy's clients in the greater Texas markets. He then spent the past eight years as a consultant in the power market before joining CCREDC.

Robert and his wife Debbi have two daughters in college. Robert enjoys all forms of outdoor activities including sailing, fishing, and hunting, is a past commodore for the Corpus Christi Yacht Club, and enjoys this opportunity to grow the economic success of his hometown.

In her role as the Vice President of Existing Industry and Regional Development, C. Michelle Unda manages our Business Retention and Expansion program, engaging with existing companies in the region, identifying their operational opportunities and challenges while strategically managing projects to drive job creation, payroll growth, and capital investment, as well as overseeing Manufacturing Day Coastal Bend, the Texas Defense Aerospace Manufacturing Community-Coastal Bend and other CCREDC events and activities. 

Michelle previously served as director of communications for the local chamber of commerce, followed by 15 years as a HR/Public Affairs representative in industry. She enjoys volunteering for our community in numerous capacities; currently serving as a board member for Workforce Solutions of the Coastal Bend (PR Chair) and the Coastal Bend Community Foundation (Vice Chair) and is a team member of her parish's OCIA program.

Michelle holds a master's degree from the University of St. Francis - Fort Wayne, Indiana in Organizational Leadership as well as a bachelor's degree in communications from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and two associates degrees from Del Mar College in journalism & liberal arts. 

The Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation (CCREDC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Sarah Anderson, Ph.D., as Vice President of Compliance & Data Analysis. Anderson will lead the organization's economic incentive administration, compliance, economic analysis, GIS, and data intelligence functions in support of business recruitment and expansion throughout the Coastal Bend.

Anderson brings a unique combination of scientific research, public policy, legislative analysis, and stakeholder engagement to the position. She joins CCREDC from the City of Corpus Christi, where she served as Senior Intergovernmental Affairs Coordinator, managing relationships with military installations, supporting state legislative initiatives, coordinating grant efforts, and preparing strategic communications for local, state, and federal partners. Previously, she served as a Human Services & Public Safety Fellow with the MOST Policy Initiative, where she authored more than 30 research briefs that informed over 50 pieces of Missouri legislation. She holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.

In her new role, Anderson will oversee the full lifecycle of economic development incentive projects—from financial analysis and agreement development through compliance monitoring and reporting. She will also direct CCREDC's economic research, forecasting, GIS analysis, and data visualization efforts, providing the intelligence that supports strategic business recruitment, business retention, and regional decision-making.

admin@ccredc.com

Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Ashly Benavidez brings more than 10 years of administrative experience to her role as Office Administrator, including the past four years supporting executive leadership. Her role focuses on maintaining the strong internal foundation behind our work with businesses, partners, and communities across the region.

Before transitioning into executive support, Ashly spent over six years in administrative roles within the oil and gas industry.

She graduated from W.B. Ray High School in 2004. Outside of the office, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, Gabriel, and her two sons, cheering on their favorite sports teams.